Springfield, Ill., Jul 19, 2011 / 23:10 pm
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has abandoned a second attempt to block Catholic Charities from providing foster care services, one week after a judge's order kept the state from ending its contract.
Catholic Charities attorney Bradley Huff told CNA on July 18 that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' most recent attempt to cut off Catholic Charities would have put its foster care ministry “out of business.”
Shortly before a July 18 hearing that would have tested the legality of the state's move, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan agreed not to go forward with the plan to discontinue referrals to Catholic Charities, while continuing to pay the organization under its existing contract.
Both the Chicago Tribune and the Associated Press reported last week that the state would be stopping referrals, despite the contract extension ordered by Judge John Schmidt on July 12.